by Rachel George, USA TODAY Sports

by Rachel George, USA TODAY Sports

ATLANTA - Kevin Ware bowed his head, unable to look up. Burying his face in his jersey, he did for Luke Hancock what his teammate and captain did almost a week ago â?? he prayed.

Louisville clung to a two-point lead against ninth-seeded Wichita State in the Final Four at the Georgia Dome on Saturday, and only 8.8 seconds stood between the Cardinals and an appearance in the national championship game.

Ware didn't watch the first free throw, but the sound of the crowd told him was in. When the second one missed, Ware raised his head to see Hancock getting possession back with a jump ball.

"I kind of feel like that's when God really heard me," Ware said.

It was fitting that Ware would pray for Hancock. On Sunday, it was Hancock who rushed to the court to calm an injured Ware.

With Ware's right leg so badly broken in the Midwest Regional final that his bone was protruding through the skin, an injury that would put him in surgery within hours, Hancock was the first to jump to his side.

Many of the Cardinals players wept. Some gagged at the sight of the gruesome injury, but Hancock rushed to Ware's side to pray during one of the toughest moments of his life.

Hearing of his injured teammate's support, Hancock said, "We'd love for him to be out there. He's out there in spirit. It means a lot. It means a lot. Kevin's my guy."

Hancock's 20 points off the bench extended Louisville's season to Monday, when the top-seeded Cardinals (34-5) face fourth-seeded Michigan (31-7) in the national championship game.

When the final buzzer sounded, an emotional, week-long journey dissolved in one embrace with Ware's father, Kevin Ware Sr.

His teammates had each come to shake his hand or bump fists after the starting lineup was announced. By midway through the second half, Louisville had cut a 12-point deficit in half, but Ware felt like he had something to say.

Without his crutches, he climbed up to the raised court to encourage the Cardinals against the wishes of athletic trainer Fred Hina.

"I couldn't sit no more," he said. "Fred was telling me to keep it elevated, but I kind of feel like my leg's been fine. I'm gonna go back in my room and sit there for hours and ice it, so I'll be fine."

By the time Hancock had helped secure the win, Ware felt his prayers had been answered. Six days ago, he lay on a court with Hancock kneeling over him. They prayed for his health and recovery.

Ware's on the way there. With his support, the Cardinals are one win away from a national title.

"We know how much it would mean for him to be out there," said guard Peyton Siva. "He tried to give us whatever we needed, the extra motivation, the extra boost to get over the hump. That's what he did."